Savior of Solace
by SilverBulletAngel
Summary: Claire is a foster child from Chicago who hates life. What if the companions came and told her she was some sort of Chosen One? Will she go home to continue the life on Earth or stay on Krynn against Tanis's wishes? Please R&R!
1. Unwanted

I started writing a story for the FanFiction website. Then I realized how dumb it was, so I erased it. Why did my stories suck?! Pulling up iTunes, I put on a Michael Jackson song ("Dirty Diana"). His music always gave me inspiration. Then I realized another thing, no one was in the room. I turned around. The room was empty. _Oh well_ I thought. Just when I turned around, I realized there was someone in the room.

_Holy shit!_ "Who the hell are you?" I said, staring at the figures in front of me.

"Tanis Half-Elven," the one with a red beard and hair, pointed ears and slightly slanted eyes said.

"Sturm Brightblade," the one with thick, black hair and a moustache said.

"Caramon Majere," the big, muscular one with brown eyes said.

"Raistlin Majere," the one with gold metallic skin, gold eyes with hourglass shaped irises and black robes whispered.

"Flint Fireforge," the short one with a black beard said.

"Tasslehoff Burrfoot," the shortest one with long hair in a ponytail piped.

"Who are you?" Tanis asked.

"Why should I tell you?"

"We told you who we are," Raistlin said.

"You just so happened to show up in the place where I just so happen to live. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Answer this first: Who are you?" Sturm said sternly.

"Okay, okay! Don't get have an aneurysm!"

"What?"

"Whatever! It doesn't matter!"

They stared at one another in disbelief.

I sighed in frustration. "Name's… Claire."

"Claire." Sturm pondered the name.

"Yeah. This ain't no big discovery, 'kay?"

"No," Caramon said gently before I could lose my temper. "We know that. And we're here for… someone. Someone who can help us."  
I scoffed. "Help you? Well, no one's here 'cept me. You might need my foster brother, 'cuz he's the one everyone needs."

"And you aren't?" Sturm asked.

"Yeah. Unless it hard labor. He gets all the praise and shit, 'cuz he's obviously better."

"Are you… neglected?"

I scoffed again, but weakly. "N-no. Why would you even ask that?"

"Foster brother… where are your parents?"

"Parents? Not here."

"Where are they?"

"…dead. They're dead. I'm a foster child, obviously. But my new family hates me. I'm leaving tomorrow night. Just to start the cycle all over again."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to the orphanage. That's where unwanted or lone kids like me go."

"Maybe you're the one we need," Raistlin said.

"Me? No way. I mean me? Not even." I played the song again.

"You must be. Heroes aren't always high-standard people."

"A hero? Really? Then I'm really not who you're looking for. Seriously." Then I had my idea. If they thought it was me, I could bet that I never had to come back!

"Okay. Yeah. If it gets me out of here, I'm game."

"What is this?" Tasslehoff asked, coming up beside me and nearly jumping onto my lap.

"It's called a computer. What? Didn't you know that?"

"No. Can you tell us what time and place this is?" Flint asked.

"It's June 28, 2009. About 5:00 pm in the United States of America on the planet Earth."

"It couldn't be," Caramon said, stunned.

"Well, believe it. Unless I've woke up this morning from thousands of years of sleep, then my facts are straight."

"What you're saying is that this is Earth in the year 2009?"

"Right. Where'd you think you were? Krynn?"

They stared at one another in disbelief. "Actually… yes," Sturm said.

I stared at them. _Oh frick..._ "It… doesn't exist."

"That can't be… what happened? If it doesn't exist, how do you know about it?"

"Well… it… it's a book."

"What kind of book?"

"A fantasy book. I didn't even think—well, I did—that it could exist."

"_We_ don't exist?" Tanis asked.

"No. Yet, you do to so many readers. Ask any D&D fans and they'll start screaming their heads off."

"Why?" Caramon asked.

"In this world and time, when a person meets a famous person they idolize, they get so excited that they start screaming. For example, _Michael Jackson_, the King of Pop and greatest performer in history, would probably be attacked by hysterical fans in public."

"And you don't?"

"Not even. I'm not desperate."

They were all silent.

"Well are we gonna go someplace?"

"Yes," Raistlin said when he was back in reality.

"Okay but can I get some stuff first?" I turned off the song and clicked out of the internet.

"Of course."

I jumped from my seat, knocking it over in the process. I ran downstairs to the basement (which my "parents" gave me as a room). Grabbing the backpack that I had never unpacked, I dropped to the floor and pulled out the cooler. Inside was my stash of food and junk: a few bags of chip, two bottles of pop and water, some candy, a few packs of gum, a bunch of beef jerky, two packages of cookies and a jar of peanut butter. All of this had never been seen by anyone but me.

"What is this place?" I heard someone ask.

I spun around, thinking it was the parents, but it was only Sturm, Caramon and Flint.

"This is the basement/my room. They only put me down here so they don't have to see me and there's a heater that's really loud at night."

"What else do they do to you?" Sturm asked.

"They make me clean the house until about midnight, they whip me with a belt, never let me go anywhere— not even to school, and they ridicule me."

Again they were silent until Caramon spotted the food sticking out of my bag.

"What's that?"

"My junk stash. I've never shown it to anyone. Do you want something?"

"Sure!" he said, making his way toward the bed.

I took out the beef jerky and opened a package. Taking a few pieces, I handed them to Caramon, and then looked to the others. "Did you want something?"

They both refused—politely—the food.

"This is excellent! What is it?"

"Dry, salted beef," I said, grinning. I knew they ate dried meat, but this was something different.

"It never tastes like this back in Krynn."

"That's because it's been something called processed."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, I guess it means that they just add more stuff to it."

Caramon didn't say anything else. He just enjoyed it.

"These people sound horrible," Sturm said, picking up a picture frame from my nightstand. "Is this them?"

"No, that's my real parents. The nuns at the orphanage gave this to me when I was old enough." If you were to see the picture, you'd see a man and a woman in front of two trees. In the distance behind them is a sign that says "City of Chicago." The man is tall and muscular. His brown eyes reflect the camera flash brilliantly while his black hair captures the light from the sun. The woman is slim and attractive. Her blue eyes represent a diamond in the rough (just like her) while the mass of brown hair flows over her shoulders like a waterfall. The pale skin is covered with freckles. "They only said that they were dead. Very rarely do I believe that."

"What do you mean?"

"They were driving and their car spun out of control and drove into Lake Michigan. When they pulled the car out, they couldn't find the bodies. They found a water-proof case in the trunk. They found a few things, like this picture."

"What else was in there?"

"Some of my mom's jewelry, my dad's books, and the pictures. Here's the other picture." I pulled it from my pocket and handed it to him. Caramon and Flint looked at it, as well. It was with my parents, but it showed my dad with a baby.

"Is that you?" Caramon asked.

"Yeah. I was a couple months old."I took it back and slid it into my pocket. "And this is a necklace that's been passed down on my Dad's side. He said the ancestor that first got it just found it." I held up the necklace that I always wore. Even when I slept.

"Why are you bringing all of this with you?"

"I'm not coming back. I'd rather be in your world than in this world with all its problems."

They didn't say anything. I put my iPod and laptop in the bag.

"What are those?"

"This is an iPod, and this is a laptop. I've been working to save up money to buy them for years. Never have I told anyone about these either."

When I was home alone, I used the computer to put the songs on there. And I didn't have an internet connection, so it cost only a few hundred dollars.

"Okay, I'm ready."

We went upstairs, where Tanis, Raistlin and Tasslehoff were waiting.


	2. From Earth to Krynn

"Claire, can we have some time to discuss our plans?"

"Sure. I have to use the bathroom anyway." I went into the bathroom and closed and locked the door. Kneeling down, I opened the air vent. It led to the main room, where they were "discussing." That vent was always open, making it easy to eavesdrop.

"I feel sorry for Claire," I heard Flint sigh. "Her parents are dead and now she lives with three people that take advantage of her."

"And she doesn't want to come back. She thinks that she's staying," Caramon said.

"_That's because I am! I am!"_ I screamed mentally._ "I'm never coming back to these sick, twisted abusive people!"_

"The girl couldn't possibly want to leave such a world," Raistlin assumed.

"_I'll never come back! Never! Being in a different world or dead are better than being here! They gave up the friggin search for my parents! They don't care if I'm here or not!"_

"She's lost all faith in life in this world. Maybe it is better that she stays in Krynn. Life could become something better in her eyes," Sturm suggested.

"_NOT 'MAYBE'! IT WILL! IT WILL!"_

I opened the door and entered the room. They all stared at me.

"What? I'm done."

Then everything changed. Instead of the house, it was a forest with trees growing new leaves.

"Whoa… So this is Krynn?"

"It is!" Tasslehoff answered. "It's a great place! Many things have happened here! You're really going to like it here!"

"I know I will."

"Solace is that city." Caramon stood beside me and pointed into the distance. "See the lights?"

"Yeah!"

I followed them for two minutes when we were finally surrounded. It appeared to be a bunch of ogres (Hey, I know what they are! I'm not stupid!).

"Claire, stay close," Flint warned softly.

"Okay," I breathed.

I counted six of the giants as they closed in on us.

"They're well armed," one of them said to another ogre, who appeared to be the leader. "Except for the girl."

I swallowed hard.

"I'll slice your heads off before you can even lay hands on her!" Flint threatened, fingering his battleaxe.

"You'll die, dwarf," the leading ogre said, "and I'll use the girl as my personal slave."

"No you won't! I'll see you swallowed up by the Abyss!" Caramon snarled.

"Is she that valuable? In that case, I'll take the girl. In fact"—he turned to his followers—"the first of you lads to snatch her gets twenty steel pieces."

"Great," I sighed to myself (but it was still loud enough to be heard). "I have a price."

"A feisty girl," the leader said in amusement. "I'll raise the bounty to thirty pieces."

I could see the greed and hunger in his eyes as he stared through my hate-filled disguise. He knew I was scared, and he was willing it bring it into the light.

"Don't just stand there! Kill them and bring back the girl, lads!" he ordered.

As they rushed forward, I gave a girly shriek, then instantly regretted it.

"Scared, girl?" one of the giants said as he lunged at me.

I gave another yelp as I avoided his grasp. Before he could get up, Flint lifted his axe and let it drop as the ogre gave its final gasp. The head rolled by my feet. I jumped back into someone's greasy arms.

"I got her!"

Another yelp escaped my lips as a thin cloth brushed against them. It made its way into my mouth and a knot formed in the tangle of my black hair. I could see Flint charge at the ogre, only to be distracted by another. I tore at it when the ogre's mocking laughter ended with a slice, grunt, gurgle and the grasp was gone. I yanked at the cloth, and it came loose. I spun around to see Caramon pulling his sword from the dead body.

"Thanks," I breathed.

He was about to answer when his expression altered and focused behind me. "Get down!" he shouted.

I threw myself down as he swung the weapon at an ogre. It avoided it skillfully and grabbed my ankle and lifted me a good two feet off the ground. Caramon stabbed the creature through the heart. My foot hit the ground with a bone-crushing thud. I heard a blood-curdling scream, and realized it came from me. I grasped my foot as a deadly pain nearly killed me.

"What's wrong with it?" I heard Tanis ask, then saw the half-elf (Yeah, I caught on when he said he was "Tanis Half-Elven").

"I think it's broken," I choked through a mist in my eyes created by the pain. "Are they dead?"

"Yes, they are. Except for two that ran off."

"The leader."

"Yes, but it doesn't matter. You'll be fine, all right?"

"Okay." My voice was breaking. "Okay."

The rest of the way to Solace, Caramon had to keep me on my feet. When we got there, we headed to the Inn of the Last Home.

"I'll find Tika," Tanis said, going into the crowd after making sure I had a chair and a place to put my foot up. Wincing, I pulled my sneaker off and my sock halfway. The skin was a light shade of purple.

"Don't worry, Claire. Here comes Tanis with some ice," Tasslehoff said, pointing to the half-elf with a red-headed barmaid behind him.

"Here's an ice block, Claire," he said, handing the ice wrapped in a cloth to me.

Wincing again, I held it to my ankle. The barmaid handed me a cold, wet strip of cloth and then sat down in the chair beside me.

"You're Claire?" she asked softly.

"Yeah." I wrapped it around my foot completely.

"You can help us."

"Help? How?"

"How about I explain it first?"

"Yeah. That'd be a good idea."

"Well, Solace has been invaded by a highlord called Verminaard. There's been talk that he's going to do it again. The High Theocrat even confirmed it. Years ago, the founder of Solace had a spell placed over this city so that it would always stay intact. Only once has it been penetrated. Someone needs to reactivate it. Raistlin's magic has lead them to you. So only you can reactivate it, Claire. I know you can help us. But will you?"

I stared at my foot._ Me? A hero? I can't! I've never been good enough! You can't honestly be asking me to save Solace! Then I remembered: Heroes aren't always high-standard people. "_Okay. But one thing: what do I need to do?"

"There's a tunnel under the city. There's some kind of code, but no one—not even Raistlin or Tanis—can understand it."

"A code. I'll see what I can do."

When we were outside, Tika led us to a stange niche in the trunk of the tree. She inserted a small, shiny object, and a doorway appeared. After a minute, we came to what seemed to be a dead end. When she lit a torch, the wall in front of us was covered in runes. In the middle, was a hole. It was the shape of a hand.

"Put your hand there."

"Okay." I placed my hand on the hole, and the wall slid over. "Whoa."

We continued on to another wall. In the middle was another hole in the shape of a jewel. My hand instantly to my chest where the necklace my dad gave me resided.

"_It's been passed down for years,_" the nun from the orphanage had told me he said.

"Daddy, you weren't kidding," I murmured.

I took it off and held the same-shaped object to the hole. The wall slid to the side. In front of me was a pedestal. Unconsciously, I walked to it on my own; no feeling was in my foot. Stopping in front of it, I recited the words softly that haven't said in years in some unknown language:

"Lighter than the Sun,

Darker than the Night,

Solace's Defense, I order you to close.

Fires of the city's past,

Create a wall against the Darkness

So that they may live in peace once again."

The ground beneath me rumbled.

"Stop!" I ordered in the language.

It ceased. I turned around to face my new friends. "Solace is safe."

"How did you--? Where did--? How can--?" Tika stuttered.

"A connection. Let's go back to the Inn. I'll explain it."

"I still don't understand," Caramon said after I told the story.

I sighed. "Okay. There's me, who lived on Earth in the future. And there's me, who lived here years ago when Solace's defenses were first created. At the same time, the founders gave this artifact to my equal in this world, at the same time an exact copy was found by my ancestor back on Earth. She had no idea what it was, so she passed it down through the generations."

"So, where's your equal in this world?"

"Gone. She just disappeared after the artifact activated the defense."

"That sounds terrible," Tika said. "A life just ended."

"Not exactly. I'm her, and she's me. It's as if nothing happened."

"Well, it's quite a tale," Tasslehoff piped in.

"Yeah. It's just sad that my Dad never lived to see its purpose."

There was a silence except for the noise of the Inn's patrons.

"I wonder where I can stay."

Tanis glanced at the others, and then back at me. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"Sure." I stood up, ignoring the pain.

I followed the half-elf outside to a balconey that overlooked the rest of Solace.

"What's on your mind, Tanis?" I asked casually, leaning on the railing.

He sighed. "Claire, I know it's been hard back on Earth for you. I know what it's like to be rejected. Back in my homeland of Qualinesti, they rejected me because I'm a half-breed." His voice cracked when he said the name. "But you have to go back and face it."

"What? No! I'm not going back! When was the last time you were in Qualinesti?"

"A year ago."

"Why?"

"We were captured and taken near there and managed to escape."

"So it was by force? You didn't want to go back!"

"I know, but this is different—"

"It isn't! That's your homeland and this is mine! I'm not going back!"

"You have to. I'm sorry, Claire. My homeland is miles away. Yours doesn't even exist here!"

"Who cares? They don't want me there anyway!"

"At least you _can_ go back!"

"But I'm _not_! Where am I gonna go? The orphanage? I'm invisible there! They didn't notice when I didn't come back for two days!" I ran down the stairs easily and pushed past the people going up.

"Claire! Claire! Claire!" I heard Tanis shout.

I stopped when I was on the ground and looked up. Tanis was trying to get past, but gave up and rushed inside. Why I just stood there is still a mystery. He came out a few seconds later with Caramon and Sturm. I could only guess that the others weren't far behind. So I started running. Before I could reach Solace's edge, I could hear them yelling my name.

"Claire! Claire! Claire!"


	3. Runaway

But I kept running. Eventually, I lost them and my adrenaline rush soon ran out. I stopped and fell to my knees. My foot was throbbing so hard I thought it would explode.

I knew that I didn't need them to survive. Then I heard a rustle, and some footsteps.

_It's them!_ I thought. _I've got to keep going!_

Instead, I crawled into the brush and covered my mouth with both hands.

"I heard the the dwarf call her 'Claire.'"

"Well, wherever this Claire is, I'll find her. She's something special, so I won't rest until I get my hands on her. Men, the search begins."

"But we've been searching since daybreak when we first laid eyes on them. Can we just rest for a few minutes?"

There was a slap and a yelp. "Very well. But then we'll continue."

The ogres!

_Please don't rest here! Please don't rest here!_

Through the leaves, my blue eyes stared at the primary ogre until his gray eyes gazed back.

"There's someone in that bush."

I muted my gasp with my hands.

"I don't see anything—wait! There _is_ someone there!" the ogre nearest realized.

_No! Don't look here! Please, God, don't let them find me!_

The bush was ripped out by the roots. I was face-to-face with three ogres.

"The search is over," the leader chuckled.

I muffled the whimper.

"Where are your friends?"

"I don't know," I said with my hands still over my mouth, I took them off. "But they'll find me and kill you."

He and his companions laughed. "Don't count on it, _Claire_."

"Yes they will! They're nearby! Somewhere…" My hope hit the floor.

"I'll keep that in mind. Take her."

With another whimper, my arms were locked in a steel hold by two ogres. I felt like a little girl.

"I don't know," the one on the left said. "We should get out of here as soon as possible."

"Why? They can't harm us. They're humans, a half-elf, a dwarf and a kender," the leader said.

"They're strong! They could kill you easily!"

"I'd like to see them try," he, bending down and looking me in the eyes. "I've killed many warriors, stronger than them. What makes them so special?"

"What makes _me_ so special that you've been trying to track me down?"

"Where I come from, human children are precious. We take the opportunity to _locate_ them for your… _value_."

"You mean steal? Because I'm sure you don't bring them back."

"We never let them know that. But in this case"—he touched my cheek then stood up straight—"you already know."

I saw someone in the distance behind him. It looked like…

_Tanis!_

"You won't get away with this!" I shouted, struggling against his followers.

"You're a pitiful girl. I don't see anyone around to stop me."

"Except for me!" a familiar voice shouted.

The ogre spun around in surprise only to start to laugh. "A kender?"

"Tas!" I cried.

"Hello, Claire! We've been looking for you everywhere! Next time, tell us where you're going before you run off! Tanis feels so bad for yelling at you—"

"Save it, kender!" the leader growled, drawing his sword. "I'll see that you run back to Solace with one foot and no mouth!"

"Really? That would be interesting to see! I'll bet that everyone will want to hear the story! And Claire, you'll have to come back and tell the story if I don't have a mouth—"

"Not even!" the ogre said, advancing on Tasslehoff. "Forget it, and get out of here!"

"Claire, let's go! These ogres are becoming tense!"

"Uh, I'm kinda in a tight spot here!" I struggled more in their grasp. "I need some help!"

"All right! Tanis!" he called.

The half-elf appeared from the trees and was followed by Sturm, Caramon, Raistlin and Flint.

"Claire, just hold on. This'll be over sooner than you think."

"That's what you think, half-elf!" the ogre growled.

Tanis clashed swords with the creature with Caramon's help. Sturm slaughtered one of my guards. I was able to break free of the second's grasp. As he lunged at me, Sturm did the Solamnic salute and stabbed him through the heart. The leader was left standing.

"I surrender!" he said pitifully. "Just don't kill me!"

"I won't," Tanis said casually, holding his sword's tip to the ogre's chest. "_If_ you agree to something."

"Anything! Money, work, anything!"

"Go back to Solace and turn yourself in to the sheriff."

"…really? That's it? I could've easily—oh, I see: you're part elf. Elves don't believe in killing."

"You were just begging for mercy. All right, it's your life, not mine." His sword dug in.

"No!" the ogre gasped as he slumped to the ground and died.

Tanis looked at me. "What Tas was trying to say was that I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was just upset at the memory of the place. And I didn't want to believe that I was wrong. I guess it's hard to take someone who says one thing and does another seriously."

"It's okay, Tanis. I think I be able to live with it. Especially after you saved my life."

When we were back in Solace, we were back on the whole "me-going-home" thing.

"I can't go back," I protested. "Earth isn't the place for me. Besides, if I go back to that house, they'll kill me. Or I could go back to the orphanage only to be taken back and _then_ killed."

He heaved a sigh. "Maybe… you can stay with one of us until you're old enough to take care of yourself."

"You mean it?"

"Yes. Who's willing to take her in?" He glanced at the others around the table.

"You can stay with me, Claire," Flint offered before anyone else could. "I could use some help around my residence. And to help me travel around selling my wares."

"Okay! That's sounds great!" I said. "You know, I bet I'll find all kinds of stuff that's gonna make my life different. Like adventures."

"I know where to find adventures!" Tas said, jumping up and running over to me.

"Not even, you doorknob!" Flint growled, grabbing the kender by the collar and pulling him back. "Claire won't become a thief! She's officially under _my _protection! And _another_ thing—"

While Flint continued, I looked at Tanis, who smiled.


End file.
